Novel Low-Power Computing-In-Memory (CIM) Design for Binary and Ternary Deep Neural Networks by Using 8T XNOR SRAM

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The increasing demand for high-performance and low-power hardware in artificial intelligence (AI) applications, such as speech recognition, facial recognition, and object detection, has driven the exploration of advanced memory designs. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and deep neural networks (DNNs) require intensive computational resources, leading to memory access times and power consumption challenges. To address these challenges, we propose the application of computing-in-memory (CIM) within FinFET-based 8T SRAM structures, specifically utilizing P-latch N-access (PLNA) and single-ended (SE) configurations. Our design significantly reduces power consumption by up to 56% in the PLNA configuration and 60% in the SEconfiguration compared to traditional FinFET SRAM designs. These reductions are achieved while maintaining competitive delay performance, making our approach a promising solution for implementing efficient and low-power AI hardware. Detailed simulations in 7 nm FinFET technology underscore the potential of these CIM-based SRAM structures in overcoming the computational bottlenecks associated with DNNs and CNNs.